Liquid fuel handling apparatus



` Aug. 28, 1934. T. F. KOESTNER El AL 1,971,787

LIQUID FUEL HANDLNG- APPARATUS Filed May 9. 1951 3;.shams-sham 1 .ww 2%, 1935A '11". 1F. KOESTNER El' AL LIQUID FUEL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1931 '3 sheetswsheet All@ 28, 1934 T, F. KDEzsTNER Er AL. 1,971,735?

` LIQUID FUEL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1951 3 Sheercs-Sheet 5 www \ mlgnamnm ,Immun 5 adapted to burn hard or soft coal, coke, wood, or`

Patented Aug. 278, 1934 1,971,787 LIQUID FUEL HANDLING APPARATUS Thomas F. Koestncr and George M. Waldhier, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 9, 1931, Serial No. 536,222

8 Claims. (Cil. 11G-22) This invention relates to liquid fuel handling apparatus and its application, preferably, to hard fuel burning devices such as hot air furances, hot water plants, steamgenerators, etc., designed and other hard fuels as distinguished from liquid fuel.

. One object of the present invention is to `provide a structure operatively related to hard fuel burning devices for burning the residue remaining after normal incomplete combustion of the hard fuels employed, and thereby raising the temperature in the fire-box and ue spaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide means `for increasing the efficiency of the fuel used in hard fuel burning devices, thereby effecting a material economy in fuel consumption and a saving in plant operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for eliminating smoke resulting from the ordinary burning of hard fuels.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the excessive accumulation of soot deposits on the dues and other portions of a heating plant.

means for periodically injecting in the fire box a substance, such as, for example a soot eliminating compound for Vobtaining complete consumption and removal of any soot which may have accumulated over a'considerable period of time.

` Another object of the invention is to provide a novel liquid fuel handling apparatus adapted for use in conjunction with devices designed for the burning of various kinds of hard fuels.

Another object of. the invention is to provide a novel construction of atomizer adapted forV use in the handling of liquid fuels.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel type of injector nozzle which may be readily positioned in the wall or Walls of a fire-box and' which may be readily adjusted longitudinally and angularly with respect fthereto. Q

Al still further object of the invention is to improve devices of the character described in sundryA details hereinafter referred to and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. f

One embodiment of the present invention is view of the struc- Another object of the invention is `to provide ture shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as viewed from the left side thereof;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an atomizer employed in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and forming a part of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional View through one of the nozzles employed in the present construction, and forming a part of the present invention;

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the line '1 -'7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View through a portion of our improved nozzle illustrating an extension member applied thereto for use in positioning the nozzle in operative relation to a fire-box having unusually thick walls, and showing a coil positioned in the extension for preheating air injected into the fire-box with the fuel from the liquid fuel handling apparatus; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the discharge end portion of the atomizer illustrated in Fig. 4 showing fittings employed for connecting the discharge end of the atomizer to pipes or conduits of larger diameter.

Referring'particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numeral l0 indicates as a Whole a steam generator adapted for burning hard fuels, such as coal, wood, or the like, and having a nre-box 1l formed therein, and a steam dome` l2 associated therewith. It will be understood that the generator may be provided with Water tubes (not shown) adapted to communicate with the steam dome, as is common in ordinary boiler or steam generator construction.

In the illustrative embodiment, a plurality of nozzles .13 are positioned in the front wall or setting of the fire-box 1l in a manner'- to ex-l tend through the wall for intermittently inject ing a' liquid fuel into the interior of the fireboX, while a nozzle 13a, in the presentarrangement,` is similarly positioned in the side wall 15 of the fire-box. "If desired, a plurality ,of injector nozzles 13a may be positioned in the sidewall 15 similar to the manner of positioning the nozzles I3 in the front wall.` These nozzles are preferably inclined to project fuel across the fire-box on anr angle substantially as indicated by the dotted linel of Fig. 1, and positioned in the wall of the lire-box in a manner preferably to form cross jets from the respective nozzles.

The nozzles 13 are suitably connected Vby means of a header 17 Which is extended by means of a conduit 18 around the corner of the fire-box Walls to supply fuel to the nozzle 13a, and the header 17 is connected by means of a conduit 19 to the discharge end of a fuel atomizer 20.

A liquid fuel supply tank 21 is shown, in the present instance, as mounted on the front side of the boiler setting, and connected by .means of a conduit 22 With the atomizer 2O in a inanner to conduct fuel from the tank 21 to the atomizer 20. Positioned between the tank 21 and atomizer 20 in a manner to receive fuel from the conduit 22 is a regulator 23 of standard construction by which the liquid fuel from the tank 21 is passed to the atomizer 20 drop by drop as is common in the operation of regulators, and in the operation of the present invention, it has been found desirable to so adjust the regulator 23 as to permit a drop of fuel oil from the tank 21 to pass to the atomizer 20 approximately every ten seconds.

For preheating the fuel oil in the tank 2l and for creatintr a pressure therein to assist in the discharge of the liquid fuel from the tank, the supply tank 2l. is connected by means of a suitably arranged steam line 24 With the upper portion of the steam dome 12 in a manner to conduct dry steam therefrom to the supply tank 21.

Suitably connected with the steam line24 is a branch line 25 for conducting steam under pressure to the central tubular member 26 (Fig. 4) of the atomizer 20, and it will be observed 4that by such an arrangement, the passage of steam through the member 26 Will create a vacuum within the casing 27 of the atomizer 20 in a manner to draw fuel from the tank 21 through the regulator 23 and into the casing 27 to be mixed with steam at the discharge end of the tubular member 26 and forced through the conduit 19 and header 1'? to the nozzles 13 and 13a where it is injected into the fire-box and ignited for the purpose of consuming the residue such as smoke, carbon monoxide and other gases resulting from the normal incomplete combustion of the hard fuel employed in the normal operation of the boiler. This consumption of the residual gases of combustion eliminates the passage of heavy black soot-laden smoke to the stack, and the increased temperature in the firebox and iue spaces resulting from the burning of these residual gases materially increases the efficiency of the boiler, and by reason of these beneficial results, less coal is required to maintain the desired temperature and pressure in the boiler, thereby providing a substantial saving in the cost of operation, as the cost of the liquid fuel consumed is negligible as compared with the reduction in hard fuel cost by reason of the increase in eiiiciency obtained from the hard fuel consumed.

For supplying fresh air to the nozzles 13 and 13a to provide for proper combustion of the liquid fuel injected into the fire-box, a plurality of flexible air conduits 28 may be connected at one of their end portions to the nozzles 13 and 13a, and at their opposite end portions to a conduit 29 which may be extended to the outside of the building or other point where a supply of fresh air may be obtained.

In the present arrangement, to insure a suitable supply of liquid fuel at the nozzle 13a, a branch line 30 is taken off from the steam line 24 at 31 and connected to the conduit 13 at a tting 32,

i and at the opposite side of the fitting 32 from the nozzle 13a, the conduit 18 is provided with a check valve 33 to insure the passage of the steam from the branch line 30 toward the nozzle 13a, and preventing `a back pressure in the direction of the connection between the header 17 and conduit 19.

It Will be observed from the foregoing description that steam under pressure is supplied to the tank 21 to preheat the oil therein and to assist in feeding it to the atomizer 20, and that the atomizer is supplied with steam under pressure to provide a vacuum therein in a manner to draw fuel from the tank 21 and force it to the nozzles 13 and 13a, the passage of fuel from the tank 21 to the atomizer 20 being controlled by the regulator 23 in a manner to permit an intermittent flow of the fuel to the atomizer in extremely small quantities, namely, at the rate of approximately one drop every ten seconds, Which however, is sufficient for the purpose intended and to obtain the results as above described.

While the apparatus as above described operates normally in a manner to prevent, almost entirely, the accumulation of soot Within the firebox and flue spaces, it may be found desirable, under certain conditions of operation, to inject into the fire-box another substance such, for example, as a suitable soot eliminating compound of any desired form, the particular structure of which forms no part of the present invention, and to provide for such emergencies, a second regulater 34 of standard construction, and of suitable size to retain a suitable supply of liquid soot eliminating compound, may be positioned in a manner to communicate through a pipe 35 with the atomizer 20 in a manner to enable the soot eliminating compound to be drawn from the regulator 34 by the same action Within the atomizer by Which the liquid fuel is drawn through the regulator 23 from the tank 21, the soot eliminating compound being mixed with the fuel and steam in the atomizer and passed to the nozzles 13 and 13a to be injected into the nre-box and there mix with the gases of combustion in a manner to burn oif and eliminate any accumulation of soot which may have formed on the Water tubes or other portions of the boiler.

The particular composition of the soot eliminating compound contemplated for use in the present arrangement forms no part of the present Si..

invention, and therefore need not be specifically described herein. Under extreme conditions, the use of such compound should not be required oftener than once in approximately ten days and then for a period of not more than two or three hours, the regulator 34 being adjusted preferably to feed one drop of the soot eliminating compound approximately every fifteen to thirty seconds which is ample under ordinary conditions to cbtain the results desired.

For assisting in the feed of the soot eliminator to the atomizer 20, a tap 36 vmay be taken off from the branch line 25 in a manner to conduct steam under pressure to the' regulator 34 when i be provided for controlling the passage of steam pressure to the tank 2l, a Valve 38 may be provided for controlling the passageV of liquid fuel from the tank 21, While a valve 39 may be provided for controlling the passage of the soot eliminating compound to the atomizer, and a valve 4G may a drain pipe 43, which may be found desirable,

after the fuel handling apparatus has been disconnected over a period of time, as during the night hours when working pressures in the boilers in many instances are permitted to drop when the rires are banked for the night. In such cases, the valve 42 may be closed and a valve 44 opened to permit condensation to drain from the upper end of the steam line 24 after which the valve 44 may be closed and the valve 42 opened to permit passage of'steam pressure to the fuel handling apparatus for its normal operation in the manner above described.

Referring toFigs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, the atomizer 20 is shown as comprising a casing 27 having a tubular member 26 mounted therein adjacent one of its end portions` and extending longitudinally of the casing and spaced therefrom throughout a major portion of its length, the casing being provided with an inlet port 45 adapted to communicate through the conduit 22 and regula,- tor 23 with the liquid fuel supply tank 21,.and provided also wlthan inlet port 46 adapted to communicate through the pipeV and valve 39 with the second regulator 34 provided for containing a soot eliminating compound. It will be noted that the passage of steam pressure through the tubular member 26 will create a vacuum in the space between the outer surface of the tubular member 26 and the inner surface of thecasing 27 in a manner to draw liquid fuel through the inlet port and soot eliminating compound (if used) through the inlet port 46 to be mixed with the steam passing through'the tubular member 26 at the discharge end thereof and forced through the conduit 19 and header 17 to the nozzles 13 and 13a and discharged into the lirebox 11.

Fig.9 illustrates a fitting 47 having a reduced end portion 48 adapted to be secured tothe end of the casing 27, and an enlargedV end portion 49 adapted tobeconnected to a conduit 19a of substantially greater dimensions than the conduit 19 shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

l In this arrangement, an extension 50 is secured to the discharge end of the tubular member 26 in a manner to extend the latter to adjacent the enlarged portion 49 of the fitting 47, the better to establish a vacuum within the space between the tubular member 26 and casing 27 for drawing the liquid fuel and soot eliminating compound into the atomizer. l

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the improved` nozzle illustrated therein and designated as a whole by the numeral 18, comprises a housing 51 having a truncated cone-Shaped outer surface 51a and having a chamber 52 provided with restricted end portions 53 and 54 formed therein, `the'endportion 54 having an outwardlyflaring opening indicated at 55 4as at the oppositeside of the restricted portion 54 from the chamber 52.

Adjustably mounted inone end of the housing 51, and extending into and longitudinally of the chamber 52 preferably adjacent the central portionthereof, is a tubular member 56 adapted to with the header 17.

Formed inthe housing 51 and communicating with the chamber 52 preferably at opposite sides thereof are apertures 58, and mounted to rotate on the outer cone-shaped surface of the housing 51 is a valve member 59 having apertures 60 formed'therein adapted to register and cooperate with the apertures 58 formed in the housing 51 in a manner to regulate or control the passage of air into the chamber 52, the valve member 59 being provided with hollow bosses 61 communicatingwith the apertures and adapted to. be connected to one end of the flexible conduits 28, the opposite ends of which are connected to the conduit 29 for supplying fresh air to the chamber 52 to be mixed adjacent the discharge end of the tubular memberv 56 with the liquid fuel and steam from the atomizer 20.

Screw-threaded onto the end portion 62 of the housing 51 is a jamb nut 63 by which the valve member 59 may be secured in adjusted position and against rotation'on the housing 5l.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that by reason of the longitudinal adjustability of the tubular member 56 vin the housing 5i, the discharge end of the tubular member may be positioned longitudinally of the chamber 52 and with respect to the restricted portion 54 in a manner to obtain a desirable arrangement for drawing fresh air into the chamber 52 which may be further controlled by the rotation of the valve member 59on the housing 51 in a manner to obtain a. suitable position of the apertures 60 with respect to the apertures 58 for controlling the passage of air into the chamber 52.

It will be further observed that the passing of the steam and preheated fuel through the member 56V and longitudinally of the chamber 52 will serve to preheat the air within the chamber 52 before it reaches the discharge end of the member 56, thereby providing air of desired temperature for producing an efcient combustible mixture and preventing the entrance of excessive cold air into the fire-box which in the operation of ordinary steam generators, serves to materially lower the temperature in the fire-box and flue spaces.`

As previously pointed out, it has been found desirable to position the nozzles 13 at an angle with respect to the walls of thefire-box and for accomplishing this arrangement, filler blocks or spacers 64 are provided having their opposite faces at various angles with respect to each other and positioned between the shoulder 65 formed on the housing 51 and the outer face of the firebox wall or boiler setting in a manner to position the nozzle at the desired angle depending upon the elevation of the nozzle and the size of the firebox, being desirable to so position the nozzles that the direction of discharge of the liquid fuel into the fire-box will be in a line intersecting the opposite inner Wall of the nre-box at a point approximately eight or ten inches above the top surface of the hard fuel bed Within the fire-box and indicated bythe line 66 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In Fig; 8 is shown a structure adapted for mounting the nozzles 13 in exceptionally thick fire-box walls, and includes a hollow extension member 67 secured to the inner or open end of the l l.

housing 51 and having a restricted open-end por- Y tion68 adjacent the inner face of the fire-box wall,` Positioned Within the hollow extension member 67 is a coiled tube 69 having one of its` end'portions secured to the discharge end of the tubular member 56 and its opposite end portion terminating adjacent the restricted end portion 68 of the extension member 6'7 preferably adjacent the central longitudinal line thereof.

It Will be observed that by such an arrangement, the housing 5l may be extended through exceptionally thick fire-box Walls, and the coil tube 69 provides for additional preheating of the air from the chamber 52 before it enters the interior of the fire-box.

If desired, the steam line 24. may be extended beyond the liquid fuel supply tank 21 as indicated at 'l0 forsupplying dry steam under pressure to other fuel supply tanks which may be employed in the operation of exceptionally large boilers having several fire-boxes, or if desired, a conduit 7l may be connected to the fuel supply tank 2l for conducting fuel to additional regulator and atomizer equipment for supplying fuel to other nre-boxes which may be contained in a boiler setting.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a novel construction and arrangement whereby complete i combustion and consumption of hard fuels is ob:n

tained, thereby increasing the eniciency of the fuel used and effecting a material economy in fuel` consumption and a saving in plant operation. It will be observed also that the present invention provides novel means for eliminating smoke resulting from the ordinary incomplete combustion of hard fuels, and for preventing the excessive accumulation of soot deposits upon the iues and other portions of a heating plant in conjunction with which the present invention. may be employed.

Obviously, the present invention. is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described, as the same may be variously modified. Moreover, all the features of the present invention need not be used conjointly, as the same may be used to advantage in variously different combinations and sub-combinations.

What We claim as new and desire to cover by .L Letters Patent is:

l. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of nozzles adapted to be positioned in the Walls of a fire-box, an atomizer communicating with said nozzles, a fuel supply tank communicating with said atomizer, a regulator for controlling the passage of fuel from said tank to the atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure to said tank and atomizer, adjustable means for supplying air to said nozzles to mix with the fuel from said atomizer, and means for supplying a liquid compound to said atomizer.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of nozzles adapted 'to be positioned in the Walls of a fire-box, an atomizer communicating with said nozzles, a fuel supply tank communicating with said atomizer, a regulator for controlling the passage of fuel intermittently from said tank to the atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure to said tank and atomizer, adjustable means for supplying air to said nozzles to mix with the fuel from said atomizer, and a second regulator for supplying a liquid compound to said atomizer.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of longitudinally adjustable nozzles adapted to be positioned in the Walls of a nre-box, means for adjusting said nozzles angularly with respect to said Walls, an atomizer communicating with said nozzles, a, fuel supply tank communicating wit'n said atomizer, a

regulator for controlling the passage of fuel from said tank to the atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure to said tank and atomizer, adjustable means for supplying air to said nozzles to mix with the fuel from said atomizer, a second regulator for supplying a liquid compound to said atomizer, and means for supplying steam under pressure to said second regulator.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a steam generator having a fire-box and a steam dome, a plurality of nozzles adjustably positioned in the Walls of said fire-box, an atomizer communicating with said nozzles, a fuel supply tank communicating with said atomizer, a regulator for controlling the passage of fuel from said tank to the atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure from said dome to said tank and atomizer, adjustable means for supplying air to said nozzles to mix with the fuel from said atomizer, and means for supplying a liquid compound to said atomizer.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a steam generator having a fire-box and a steam dome, a plurality of longitudinally adjustable nozzles positioned in the Walls of said fire-box, means for adjusting said nozzles angularly with respect to said walls, an atomizer communicating with said nozzles, a fuel supply tank communicating with said atomizer, a regulator for controlling the passage of fuel from said tank to the atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure from said dome to said tank and atomizer, adjustable means for supplying air to said nozzles to mix With the fuel from said atomizer, a second regulator for supplying and controlling the passage of a liquid compound to said atomizer, and means for supplying steam under pressure from said dome to said second regulator.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the

combination with a hard fuel burning steam generator having a fire-box and steam dome, of a plurality of nozzles adjustably positioned in the Walls of said fire-box, an atomizer communicating with said nozzles, a liquid fuel supply tank communicating with said atomizer, a regulator for controlling and intermittently passing fuel from said tank to the atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure from said dome to said tank and atomizer, adjustable means for supplying air to said nozzles to mix with the fuel from said atomizer, and means for intermittently supplying another liquid to said atomizer.

'7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a hard fuel burning steam generator having a fire-box and steam dome, of a plurality of longitudinally adjustable nozzles positioned in the walls of said fire-box, means for adjusting said nozzles angularly with respect to said Walls, an atomizer communicating With said nozzles, a liquid fuel supply tank communicating with said atomizer, a regulator for controlling and intermittently passing fuel from said tank to said atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure from said dome to said tank and atomizer, adjustable means for supplying air to said nozzles to mix with the fuel from said atomizer, means for supplying and controlling the passage of a liquid compound to said atomizer, and means for supplying steam under pressure to said compound supplying means.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination With a hard fuel burning steam generator having a nre-box and steam dome, of a CTI plurality of longitudinally adjustable nozzles positioned in the Walls of said re-box, means for adjusting said nozzles angularly with respect to said walls, an atomizer communicating with said nozzles, a liquid fuel supply tank communicating with said atomizer, a regulator for controlling and intermittently passing fuel from said tank to said atomizer, means for supplying steam under pressure from said dome to said tank and 

